Star Wars: Jedi Hunter
by Tihaq Klee
Summary: 40 ago the jedi were wiped out by the force. My name is Nalli Illan. I'm a Jedi Hunter, who was lucky enough to find a live Jedi. But he tells me things i don't to hear, and I learn a terrible secret about Luke that may send me to the Dark Side. Discontinued
1. Chapter 1

Prologue 

She sat at her desk, eyes scanning the datapad before her. Every now and then she would stop and read more carefully and sometimes took notes. The person at the door had to knock three times before she noticed.

Cursing silently the Lorrdian woman hid the datapad and yelled, "Enter" as she spread the files neatly across the desktop. A tall male scientist walked into her room. He was tall, with fine features, bland hair, and oddly piercing blue-gray eyes. "Still deciding," he asked her, walking aver to stand in front of her desk.

She smiled slightly and nodded. "There's quite a few to choose from. But I have narrowed it down to about 15." She gestured at the files lying before her as she spoke. "It would be easier to choose if I could mee…." But the scientist cut her off.

"I'm sorry, but you now that we can't allow that." His eyes searched her. "But you've already met me." Though it was against the "rules" for a scientist to fall in love with a subject Rolland had; and yes she knew that she was part of a scientific experiment that had started 22 years ago.

"I'll still have to choose you know," she said looking at him and smiling.

22 Years Ago

The Chief-of-state stood with his hands clasped behind his back, facing the transparasteel window and the view it provided of hyperspace. Behind him on his desk a datacard lay waiting for him. He sighed, turned away from the view and sat in the chair before his desk. He put the card into his datapad and started to read. He smiled. He liked this plan. The revised version of his own, all that was left to do was add his signature. He signed it and set the datacard aside.

Now, after 10 years of wasted hope, the people of the galaxy might finally live again. The Jedi Hunter Project would be the underway in a matter of hours, as soon as he sent the datacard.

10 years ago the Jedi had died of and unknown cause and had not returned. All hope had been lost. He smiled again, a predatory smile, and sent the datacard.


	2. Discovery

Disclaimer for Prologue and story: If I didn't make it I can't take it.

Chapter One: Discovery

I rose from my crouched position slowly and smiled. I had finally, after 15 minuets of searching, found the entrance. Zenbel'tak's voice broke through my elation. "Mav called. There is a senator ship looking for Advisor Leah Zalom." My eyes narrowed into my death glare; to bad none of them could see it.

I pulled my communicator from behind my ear and straightened it. "Mav, why didn't you activate one of our fake ID's?" I asked my voice carefully controlled.

"Because were in the _Yavin _system, I didn't think…" but I cut him off.

"I don't pay you to think do I? Activate one _now _and find a place to land. I've got a good feeling about this." I got two clicks in acknowledgement. I let the communicator curl back up behind my ear and turned back to the gray stone wall.

My guess was that the lock keeping the entrance hidden was a Jedi Lock. A Jedi Lock was bar lock that could only be opened by the Force. A fellow 'Hunter had discovered it when he was tracking a Jedi. But, luckily for me, I wasn't all human. I never really wondered about what species made up half of me, I was just glad that it came in handy.

I started to kick the door near the top, three times each leg. By my sixth kick a small crack appeared in the stone. So, I started kicking a little higher, and heard what I wanted, the bar jingling. I kicked harder until several cracks appeared and the door finally opened. I rubbed my legs for moment, smiling. Entering the room I felt my eyes widen.

The half-circle room was filled with shelves and on them boxes of datacards, holocrons, and lightsabers. "Wow," I said, pulling my bag of my shoulder as I spoke. "Call Mav and tell him to get the boxes ready." Reaching for the mini floodlight on my belt I turned it on and set in the middle of the floor. The room was filed with a pure white light. _Much better_, I thought. I could now see the details and titles on the boxes much better, even though my night vision was better than humans.

Immediately we started filling our bags, stopping every now and then to admire the craftsmanship of a light or plasmasaber. I stopped when I noticed a not-so-dusty spot in the shape of a lightsaber. Thanks to the training I could not quite remember, I estimated the spot to be about three days old. I pulled out my personal datapad and tossed it to the hulking black shadow that was my Twi'lek companion and Major Domo. "See if any ships have come through in the past three days." His glowing orange eyes narrowed for a moment, but he did as ordered.

While he worked on that I continued to look around. By now my bag was almost full, so I didn't grab anything. But I did notice a pair of footprints, male by size, and about three days old. _So, there could still be a Jedi here,_ I thought happily. A pair of lightsabers caught my eye right then. The handles were slightly curved and the hilt ends looked odd.

I ran my sensitive fingertips over them, then picked them up and put the ends together. I twisted the handles, and nothing happened. I frowned and twisted them the other way. There was a small click and I was now holding a doublebladed lightsaber. I turned it on and the room was filled with blue light. I whirled the lightsaber listening to the sounds it made. I shut it off and placed the lightsaber on top of my already full bag.

"A cruise yacht was in system three days ago; it came out of hyperspace to calibrate its next jump and jettisoned an escape pod. No one on the ship seemed to be aware that they lost an escape pod, the station got a life form reading on it put not much else. The pod landed not to far from here though, and there have been no other ships until today." I nodded my thanks.

"Let's get these relics to Mav and clean it out. Then I'll deal with the politicians." I said with the last word as though it was a bad taste or smell.

We found Mav in a small clearing not far from the Great Temple with my beautiful yacht, _Hopes Last Chance,_ behind him.

My ship was a sleek, silver Naboo made yacht, and highly modified. I was a smuggler too after all.

We started to load the duristeel boxes and it took at least eight other trips to get everything out of the cache. By the time the room was empty 20 of my larger boxes were full; I a total of 50 boxes, all different sizes and all vacuum sealed. "We are defiantly going to be paid big time," I said happily.

"Maybe you'll finally give me that raise?" Mav said, only half joking.

"Keep dreaming. Load up the boxes while I go clean up." I shoved Mav's forehead as I went by, causing him to move his arms as they were some primitive power machine.

Back inside the weapon's cache, I switched the flood light to holo mode. The room was now filled with lifelike holo's of all the objects packed safely on my shape. The hairs on the back of my neck suddenly prickled, like they always did when someone was watching. I turned slowly, heart racing, my mind slowly sinking into battle mode.

The figure in the doorway was tall, male by the shape of the shoulders and hips, had multicolored hair and was watching me with interest. He moved forward slowly, balanced and graceful, it was like watching a fellow 'Hunter. He soon stood just over a meter away from me. I felt something touch the barriers around my mind, I put my secondary boundaries up just in case. Fear started to mingle with excitement and adrenaline started to sweep through my blood. With speed a Jedi could be proud of; I wiped out my blaster and stunned him. Or tried to anyway.

As soon as I had my blaster out, he had moved. One long fingered hand on each wrist in a death grip realerted me to his presence. I yanked my arms out his grip, it wasn't easy. But the Jedi had managed to get hold of my blaster and sent it flying to the other side of the room. I liked that blaster; it had three settings and was my favorite.

I was almost in battle mode now, my mind was clearer. I spun around and hit him in the side. But once again I had missed. I sent two punches and another kick and missed all three times. I now got the sense that he was toying with me, and that made me angry. I hated being messed with or used. He stood not to far away, and with out a thought, I launched myself at him.

I hit him with enough force to send him slamming into the ground hard. His head hit the stone flagstones and stunned him for a second. He looked at me in surprise but I was in full battle mode now and did not notice.

Mind perfectly clear, I slammed my fist into his nose, easily breaking it. Blood started to leak from it. His own fist found my jaw and sent my head whipping to the side. Big mistake. My knee found his stomach, and the Force found me.

Being flown across the room and hitting one the shelves with your back would send anyone out of battle mode. I hissed, as I hit the now empty shelf. I fell to floor, and glared up at the alien. The fact that he could use the Force scared me more than anything. But I wasn't about to loose my prize.

I ran zigzag across the floor at him to make it harder for him to hit me with the Force. But as soon as I leapt at him he caught me in some kind of Force grip. I gave him my best death glare and struggled uselessly against the bonds holding me. I continued to glare for a moment then let my arms hang at my sides. I was sure he could see the plan forming in head though.

I threw my whip at his legs, and tripped him. The bad thing about the plan was that he fell on _me_. We started a wrestling match then. But I lost, with the Force on his side and fear on mine, I barley had a chance. The kick he got me with then sent me flying out of the room and across the floor. I was sure I'd heard a rib crack. But another plan was forming in my head as the Jedi started toward me.

I got up and ran up the stars, letting my communicator uncurl as I went. "Mav! Get that flying monstrosity off the ground and hovering above the Great Temple _now_! And tell Zenbel'tak to get the stun rifle ready, I found a Jedi."

"Yes, El Capitan," he said. He would pay for his cheek later but at the moment I was more worried about getting the Jedi to the top of the Temple. I heard steps behind me but the spacing between them confused me. I poured on more speed. I managed to make it the top of the temple before the Jedi. My ship was hovering off to the side, the hatch open. I spun around and drew my double-bladed vibrosword at the unmistakable sound of a lightsaber igniting. I couldn't help gaze at the beautiful golden shaft of deadly energy now held in the Jedi's hand. It was the same color as the sun. But that sun colored lightsaber was aiming at my head, and I barely managed to block it.

I whirled my vibrosword and sent a flurry of fast and powerful blows his way; he parried them all and started to rain blows down on me. Luckily Zenbel'tak soon had the shot he was waiting for and got the Jedi square in the back. A look of surprise filled his face before he fell backwards, lightsaber still blazing. I sheathed my blade, turned off his, and swung his unconscious body of my shoulders. Mav had to lower the gangplank and hover closer to the top of Temple so I could jump on without straining myself. The Jedi weighed more than I thought.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Two: Politics

I handed Zenbel'tak the Jedi with instructions to clean and lock him up then to change into his bodyguard guise. I, on the other hand, would have to go deal with the one of the worst types of warfare there was, politics. I shook my head sadly as I walked to the cockpit.

"I would be heading to Yavin except for one problem," Mav said as I walked in. I raised one blond eyebrow. "The senators over there have orders to take you on board and head straight back to Corsicant." By you they meant Chief-of-State advisor Leah Zalom.

I sighed. "Is there anyway of convincing them otherwise?" It was Mav's turn for the raised eyebrow. "I really am going to have to board a ship full of people who are as charming as snakes aren't I?" I asked unnecessarily.

"Yep! An get me an autograph while your at it." I backhanded him across the head, just hard enough. As I turned to leave he was rubbing his head with one hand and preparing the ship for 'cargo' transfer.

Finally back in my room I got myself a cup of café and sipped it. Café calmed me down, unlike with most humans who seemed to only wake up after a cup or two. I would need all my wits which meant a calm mind and body, no adrenaline.

I was very proud of my room, with all its secret compartments and disguises. From the one in my wardrobe I pulled out an auburn wig with hair long enough to readch my waist, some silver ringlets and a gold dress. Carefully and quickly I separated the wig into two pieces and used the ringlets to hold the hair in place. Then I stripped down into my mini combat suite, which was more like a short and short sleeve shirt combo, and slipped into the dark gold dress. I had to look in a mirror to make sure I got the wig on right. There was a mirror hanging over my makeup stand. From the stand I pulled a small container that held contacts that made my near bronze colored eyes to turn purple, and finally from a hidden drawer I pulled out a dark gold half-veil with silver embroidery that was the same color as my ringlets and the patterns on my dress. Satisfied that no one would recognize me I left my room. Only to halve to go back and change shoes. Even I can forget things.

Zenbel'tak stood outside my door waiting for me. He was dressed in a black combat suite with a vibrosword across his back; extra ammo packs hanging off his belt, and two blasters, one on each hip. All in all a very impress look. "Nice," I said. "Maybe your appearance will scare them so much that the politicians will hide in their rooms the whole trip," I added hopefully. Zenbel'tak's mouth didn't even twitch. I hated sometimes how good he was at playing the bodyguard.

Mav's voice rang over the inter ship comm. "We're attached to their ship, you can board any time now." I sighed again.

"Come on lets get this over with." My Major Domo went through the airlock first. When I saw who was my 'welcoming' committee I wished that I was Nalli Illan and not Leah Zalom, I so wanted to blast that face. Senator Orshi Alcan of Bakura. But the only thing I could do was climb out of the airlock and greet him with all the courtesy of a fellow Court member, my natural accent hidden behind the Couriscanti one.

"Senator Alcan, what a pleasant surprise," I said bowing slightly.

He woke up alone in a small room strapped to a bed. And he hurt! Was it because he had used the Force? No, it was because of the woman's blows he decided. He had never fought someone like that before; she was as strong as a Jedi and could touch the Force. But she didn't use it. Why? He wasn't sure.

He tried to reach out for the Force to better see his surroundings but could not feel it. No! Where was it! He could feel the panic begin to set in. But before it could do anything else a sound alerted him to an opening door. Part of the wall slid away and the room was lit with light. He had to close his eyes from the suddenness of it.

"So, you're finally awake Jedi," said a woman's voice in a strange accent.

He opened his eyes to see a young woman with long auburn hair, a gold dress and long half-veil. "Who are you?"

"Your parole officer. Now, what were you doing on Yavin 4?"

"None of your business."

The woman's violet eyes narrowed. "Were you searching for the weapons cache?" She has almost no funny bone, he decided.

"Maybe, but why would I tell you anything?"

"Because I'm the one keeping you alive," she said with a smirk. She walked closer to him and tapped something next to the bed, an IV. "Good night Jedi. What's your name?"

He could feel the darkness gathering at the edges of his conscience. "Tren," he said, falling into the darkness.

I left the Jedi, Tren, in the room within mine and left to go meet with my sister Serra, the Chief-Of-State.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Three: New

My sister's room was not very lavish, but filled with a simple elegance. The walls were covered in dark purple carpet and the furniture was slightly outdated, mahogany in color and made of elegant lines. I stood next to the chair in front of the syntha-wood desk, waiting for her to get out of the meeting. I yawned, silently hating politics. I wouldn't be able to do anything in this room until Serra deactivated the normal holocams and put them on their loops. Of course I could do this, but then it would look suspicious if anyone was paying attention in the security office.

I head the door open and turned to it. "Leah Zalom, it's good to see you again!" Serra said, her long robes swirling around her as she entered. "Please sit," she said, gesturing to the chair beside me.

"Thank you," I said, bowing. The straight backed chair was oddly comfortable. Serra smiled and pressed a button atop the desk.

"So, did you find anything?" Serra went from happy to serious in two point one seconds.

"Yes," I began, "a large weapons cache and a live Jedi." I leaned forward to give Serra one of my most serious looks from behind the veil. "He could use the Force, Serra." This simple statement made my sister sit straight up and her jaw drop. 

"Are you all right?" she finally asked.

I leaned back in my seat, offended. "Of course _I'm _all right! But we need to transport him to one of the hidden rooms in the palace." I wouldn't let my anger use me, so I said that last bit out with more calm then necessary.

Serra rested her head in on of hands. "We'll put him in the one next to your room, you caught him after all." She looked up at me, blue eyes sad. "I have some depressing news for you." I shifted uneasily in my chair as she said this. "The Head Hunter was murdered two days ago."

It was my turn for my jaw to drop. "No! How?"

"We don't know yet, sis, but his guards were injured. The autopsy report said he died of an unknown poison. We know nothing else."

I closed my eyes and shook my head. When I had joined the Jedi Hunter's two years ago the Head Hunter had been the first on I'd seen in action. He had been in his mid thirties but had moved with grace and speed that he should not have been able to. He had always been there, planning our missions, starting the Jedi Hunter Organization, leading us and keeping us a secret. I had barely known him for two years, but was a constant in my life, a safe harbor. "Who's taking over?" I asked, opening my eyes again.

Serra glanced over at the door. "Come in." I turned to see who was entering and jumped up.

"No!"

Luke turned to me and gave me an amused look. "What, not happy to see me sis?"

I rolled my eyes as we took our seats. "No, I'm happy but your not Jedi Hunter material." He narrowed his gray eyes and looked like he wanted to say something. 

"Luke will only be a figure, not the actual leader," Serra said. "He's going to be helping in the investigation." 

I fixed my adopted sister with my I'm-not-stupid look. "I'm sorry Luke, but you're a bodyguard, not a detective." 

"I'm acting as a bodyguard for the new Head Hunter," he said. "My cover is as a detective."

I shrugged. "I guess it works." I stood up. "I need to unload. Can you send down a couple of medics to carry the Jedi to my other room?" Luke started at the word Jedi. 

"Of course, Nalli," she smiled at me. "Make sure you have some yslamiri."

Luke stopped me with a raised hand. "Tomorrow will be a sparing day," he said.

I smiled behind the veil. "Cool!"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Four: Sparing

Our sparing ring was the size of a neavoball field and had transparinsteel walls that reached up to the ceiling. The ring itself had an artificial roof that obstacles could be dangled or dropped from. Today there were durasteel boxes hanging from it at different lengths, all within our jumping range. I sat between two fellow Hunters I considered friends on the stone benches that surrounded the ring. Luke and the senior Hunters were sitting on a balcony that was directly above me and watching the fights with interest. He was one of the few outsiders who knew about our existence.

Slena, the Twi'lek Hunter, was extremely twitchy today. Her leku gave her away as her face was an emotionless mask. She was my age, a little shorter than me and had green skin. "What's up with you," I asked. Her pink eyes glanced over at the figure behind me. I turned around to face my bodyguard. "Zenbel'tak, would you take Slena on one date? Please. She's getting on my nerves." Zenbel'tak's eyes flashed toward Slena for a moment. 

"No," he said. Slena wasn't looking over at him, she was glaring at me.

"What?" I asked, feigning innocence. 

"I never said I liked Zenbel'tak," she said, putting her chin up in the air.

"So, it doesn't mean none of us can't see that you like him," I argued.

"Drop it you two," Kairen said. I glanced over at her. Kairen was my height; in her twenty's and drank blood instead of eating food. I sighed, but nodded. 

"Truce?"

Slena studied me for a moment. "Truce."

I smiled at her and turned my attention to the sparing match starting below. I recognized one of the opponents, a Cathar named Untha. She moved with a slight limp and one of arms seemed to be giving her trouble, as if she were recovering from recent injuries. "What's up with Untha?" I asked no one in particular. 

Kairen gave a look that made me feel stupid. "She was one of the Head Hunters bodyguards and was injured when he was assonated." I nodded, turning back to the fight.

"Her opponent is Riken Jonu, age sixteen, from the Hapes Consortium." Slena looked up from her datapad and turned to me. "Isn't your family from one of the sixty-three worlds Nalli?" she asked.

I nodded; yes my adopted family was from the Hapes Consortium. "I was trained by a _Mando, _that's were I got my accent," I said, somewhat moodily. I didn't really like the Hapen's all that much, even though I was technically one. They were too ready to kill and coup. Riken moved quickly and was able to get under Untha's defenses and pressed a hidden blade against her neck. I shook my head sadly. "She was taken out so quickly."

Kairen nodded. "I would have thought that she would have refocused by now, but I guess not. She blames herself for his death." Slena and I looked at her with surprise. 

"Nalli Illan, you're up next," Luke's voice rang through the enclosed space. I glared upward, through the duracrete balcony floor. 

"Slena, does my profile say childish?" I asked my Twi'lek friend as I stood up. She glanced at the datapad. 

"Yep, and that's probably why Riken wants to fight you." I sighed as I started to descend. 

"Wish me luck," I said happily. The other five laughed. 

I entered the ring and walked slowly towards Riken Jonu, not sure exactly how good he was as Untha had been injured and preoccupied. "Don't think that just because you beat Untha that you're gonna beat me," I said quietly and as overconfident as ever.

Riken smiled up at me. He was about my height, had light brown hair and green eyes and an air about him that was defiantly Hapen. "It's nice to meet you too, Nalli Illan," he said using my name without permission. 

"Don't think that because I'm from Lino that you can call me by my full name," I said unhappily as I pulled my double-blade from its back sheath. Riken looked unhappy for a moment and then twirled his blade ready to fight. In a way sparing matches were a test of stamina, how many fights could one win in a row?

"Begin," Luke said, once again through the voice amplifier.

I stood, a picture of ease, and watched all of his movements. Riken feinted to one side, but I blocked his kick and nailed him in the stomach. The boy had some muscles on him. I flexed my right hand and blocked his blade with mine. He backed and reassessed me. "Never underestimate your opponent," I lectured him, loud enough for others to hear me. A couple of laughs could be heard, and Riken blushed. I took it. I leapt upward and landed on one of the boxes, then let myself fall.

As I did, I brought my blade in front of me and crushed his defense. My knees caught him in the stomach and he broke my fall. I rolled my shoulders and looked down at him with interest. His left hand was pressed against his blade, bracing it. I forced more strength into my arms and pressed down on his sword, his breath was coming short and I was surprised that he had been able to hold on to his blade and block me after I had winded him. 

I took one hand off the handle of my double and instantly regretted it. Riken took the chance and nailed me in the face with a fist and rolled at the same moment. I fell off of him and held one hand to my nose. He had broken it! I growled and felt the adrenaline start to fuel my system. I leapt at him and nailed his nose, then dodged the blade slashing at my stomach. Blood started to drip form his nose and splatter against his clean cloths; I could feel my own blood dripping down my chin.

I whirled my sword around my head and brought it down in a feint. He took the bait and I finished the fight with a blade pressed against his throat. I guess having two more years experience and a Mandalorians training did make a difference. I released him and started to stop my bleeding nose. "Good fight kid, but no match for a _Mando'ade_." Riken glared at me, but said nothing. 

I lost my next fight against Klah'oi a Bothan with at least five years of experience. I hadn't fought him before, and I probably won't again any time soon. I rested my head against the wall and grimaced as I let the sanistreem glide over my left arm, Klah'oi had almost broken it. I was pretty sure he had put a good sized fracture through the bone by the level of pain. I sighed and finished cleaning up.

I pulled a towel around myself before leaving the stall, and headed for my locker. There I pulled on some clean underclothes and a dark red jumpsuit. "Ahhhhhh!" The cry instantly sent all of the female Hunter's in the room on alert. "Get out!" another voice yelled. I pulled out my other favorite blaster and jumped around the corner. 

"Zenbel'tak, leave!" I yelled at my bodyguard. He simply turned his orange eyes on me. Slena leapt back into her stall, embarrassed.

"You've a mission, lets go," he said turning to head back out of the locker room.

I turned to face the rest of my fellow's. "Sorry, he doesn't care much about personal space when it comes to me." I smiled apologetically at them but all I got were glares that clearly said don't let it happen again.

When we arrived at my suite in the Imperial Palace I dropped my stuff onto my bed and turned to Zen. "All right, what's the mission? Don't forget I have to pay my smugglers before we go anywhere."

Zenbel'tak sat down at my computer and flicked it on. He pulled up my inbox and selected the only thing in there. "You're to exterminate the Jedi you caught within three days. It says that since he can use the Force that any information found out during interrogation would not be considered valid." 

I raised an eyebrow as he finished giving me the overview. "What, they can't use yslamiri? Why not let me interrogate him?" I frowned, confused. 

"They don't want to take risks," Zen said. "If information got out about a live Jedi who could use the Force, the whole galaxy would go into an uproar and ruin what little peace we have." I sighed but nodded. His logic made sense since we were at a rare time of peace. "It also says you may use his own light saber against him if you want to." That shocked me. "Will you?"

I thought for a moment. To be able to use the weapon that belonged to my enemy, my prey. Jedi Hunter's weren't allowed to use lightsabers unless our council said they could and there had only been two in the past thirty years. I felt a smile spread across my face. I liked the idea to be able to use this once in a lifetime experience. "Of course, its rare when you get a good chance to understand your enemy." Zen bowed his head and sent a report saying that in three days time the Jedi Tren would die by his own weapon of choice.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Five: Message

She stood on the balcony, her one good eye and the Force directed outward to her apprentice, searching. He was here, she knew that, because his beacon had gone off and she had arrived in time to watch him fall and being transported to the woman's ship. Susan could not feel her apprentice in the Force, but she could feel the woman and that was one whom she was tracking. The young woman had kidnapped her apprentice and was now in the Imperial Palace, where Tren had been offloaded. 

Susan suddenly felt her apprentice through the Force and sagged against the railing. He was still alive, in great danger, but alive. She sighed and headed for her room and comfy chair. Sitting she opened herself fully to the Force. Sith weren't the only ones who could send Force Phantoms. 

In a matter of moments Susan was inside her apprentice's room, smiling at the Firrerreo. "Tren, I'm so glad I found you."

Tren stood up and hugged the phantom. There was a hole in the ceiling and dead yslamiri was lying within it. "They were blocking my Force abilities. How close are you?" he asked, sitting down. 

"In the Hopper's Hotel," she said, letting some of the Force float outward. "She's nere."

Tren turned his attention to the door. "She has a bodyguard, a Twi'lek. She could use the Force, you know." Tren laced his long fingers behind his head; his long multicolored hair was in a braid hanging over his shoulder.

"That's why I was able to track her so well," Susan said, glancing at the door. Footsteps could be heard, and then voices.

"You are sure?" The voice was male.

"Yes, I'm going to see if I can get any info out of him before I kill him." The voice was oddly accented. "It just doesn't feel right to kill him without getting something." The footsteps stopped.

"And the lightsaber practice?"

"I will be quite deadly with it by midnight," said the female voice. The footsteps continued and then a door opened and closed. 

Susan turned all of her attention to her apprentice. "I will give you my lightsaber and meet you at the hotel. We'll escape then." Tren didn't seem to be fully here.

"I think we should train her, master," he said, bringing himself back. 

"Why?"

"Because there's something odd about how she can touch the Force but doesn't realize she can." He cocked his head to one side. "Before I escape I will try to get her to at least realize she can use the Force." 

Susan closed her eyes and for a moment only her presence could be sensed as she searched the young woman in the next room. Yes, she could use the Force and she had the air of someone with an interesting destiny. She was also surrounded by mystery, something the Force wanted to have known. Susan pulled herself together and let the phantom reappear. "All right, but we can't force her, only let her know." Tren bowed respectively to his master and she left. Her lightsaber floated to the wall and created a hole just big enough to let it fit.

I stood outside of the Jedi's room, calming myself. His lightsaber was inactivated in my hand and the grip felt odd, it hadn't been made for me. I slowly sank into battle mode and opened the door. Tren stood waiting for me and I instantly noted the dead yslamiri. The door slid closed behind me and I was alone with a Force user. Adrenaline began to flow through me. "You weren't supposed to be able to do that," I said in an oddly hollow voice.

Tren smiled at me. "I like to surprise people." His face became suddenly serious. "You can use the Force you know. You could if you came with me and trained." His voice was earnest.

I gave him my best death glare and he took a step back. "I can't use the Force you nerf herder. I'm here to kill you." I lit his lightsaber and the room was filled with its golden light. A shaft of pure silver erupted from the Jedi's hand with a snap-hiss. I stared at the Jedi and fell out of battle mode from the shock of seeing the lightsaber. "How?"

Tren didn't answer, but simply slashed a whole in the wall with surprising speed. I leapt at him and tried to stab. He spun, caught my wrist and flung me into the wall. I looked at him with fear as he pulled the blade from my grasp. "I'm sorry but I can't let you kill me. If you ever want to find out how to use the Force go to Lordd. If you ever want to find the truth about yourself, meet me there, I'll find you." I pulled out my dagger and threw it at him as he jumped. It hit him the back and he landed on an unused speeder and took off . I stood for several minuets clenching and unclenching my fists, confused and angry. He had escaped. 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Six: New Mission

Chapter Six: New Mission

As punishment for letting the Jedi escape I had been forced to watch the meeting with my sister three times afterward. It hurt the same amount each time I saw her disappointment. That was the only thing that truly got me, disappointment. In the meeting with my sister I had overreacted and my fractured arm had been broken as Zenbel'tak restrained me. He stood and headed toward the doorway as my ship reverted to realspace. "You'd better come up to the cabin." He wasn't very happy with me either.

"Of course, the captain should be present when they contact us." I had paid all of my seven smugglers and three of them were with me today.

"You got up here fast," Mav stated as I entered the cabin. "Security just contacted us." He pointed to the light blinking above the comlink. I sat down in the captain's chair and pulled a view screen towards me.

"All right, open the link," I said.

"_Hopes Last Chance_, this Captain Junli of Mandalore Security. What is your purpose here?" The speaker was a young _Mando _without his helmet on.

"This is Captain Nalli Illan and I'm here to speak to Mandalore," I said in Mandolarian. The captain was obviously young or thorough as he checked my name and ship on the records.

"You're clear to pass, follow the beacon to Keldabe. Mandalore will meet you there." He was new then, I decided, since he was surprised.

"Thank you, I shall make this quick." I tapped the screen to turn it off and Mav cut the link.

"So, you really are a Mandalorian," Isna said, entering the cabin.

"Yes, did you think I was lying?"

She shrugged. "You're a smuggler, I couldn't be too sure." Isna walked over to me. "Are we all going?"

I shook my head. "No, just me and Ondu, he's _Mando _also."

"Oh, I didn't know," Isna said glancing through the hatch toward the recreation room. Footsteps sounded as they entered the atmosphere and Ondu arrived in full Mandalorian armor, helmet included.

"We'll be at Keldabe in fifteen minuets," Mav said, breaking the silence. I knew that Isna had a thing for Ondu and finding out that he was a _Mando_ must have been a shock. Ondu's armor was also a shock. It was an odd shade of blue and he had a pink shoulder piece that obviously came from a family member.

I raised an eyebrow. "Pink, Ondu? I thought you were a man." Mav snorted and started out of the viewport.

Ondu turned his helmet to me and I got the sense that he was glaring at me. "It was my aunt's," he said. His right hand rested on the blaster pistol.

I held my hands up. "Hey, no need to start shooting unnecessarily. That's my job," I added as I stood. "Hurry up and land Mav, Mandalore doesn't like to be kept waiting."

The welcoming committee consisted of Mandolore and three other Mandalorians. One of which was my old teacher. I bowed respectively to all four _Mando's. _"I received your call and got here as soon as I could." Mandolore nodded, his green helmet gleaming in the light.

"I have a mission for you," he said, skipping formalities. "We need you to go to Roche and pick up the prototype they have for us. No questions," he added as I had a curious look on my face.

"Of course, Mandolore," I said. "And payment?" My old master chuckled.

"You will receive four thousand credits," Pharen said, his black armor gleamed as he moved closer to me. "You have not forgotten your teachings I hope?" he asked in Mando.

"Of course I haven't," I responded in like. "Mando culture is my own." I smiled at Pharen and clasped his forearm. "It's really good to see you again."

"You have five days to bring back the prototype, Nalli, do not be late." Mandolore turned to leave.

Back on _Hopes Last Chance_ I filled in the rest of my team. "Four thousand!" Isna said, gleefully.

I nodded. "Yes, four thousand if we make it Roche and back in five days with the package," I reminded her.

Honru sighed and leaned back in his chair. "I still think you could have wheedled more out of them," he said again.

"Next we deal with Mandolarions, I'll let you do the haggling," I said angrily. "Besides, you don't ask a lot from Mandolore unless you've got a good reason," I added.

We fell into silence then, and I was pretty sure they were all thinking of credits. I, on the other hand, was thinking of the one who got away and his final words. Come to Lordd if you want to learn, if you want to find out about yourself. Those words haunted me because I so wanted to go. I had no idea why, I just did. I wanted to go to Lordd, something was telling me it was right, but it wasn't my instincts.

I spent the trip to Roche wondering about what the Jedi had meant. I knew I wasn't all human, but did that mean anything? I wasn't so sure about not really caring about my real parents were.

The run to Roche was very by-the-book. We used a fake ID to get past the New Republic officials, landed, talked, loaded (with out seeing what we were transporting), left and landed back on Mandalore. There we were handed the four big ones, and would have joined the Mandolarians if my sister hadn't decided to contact me then.

"Nalli," Mav called down the ramp as he hurried to catch up with us. I was technically to young to drink, but they would need a designated 'driver'.

"What?" I called over my shoulder.

"You've got a message from Coruscant."

I turned slowly, death glare on full blast. "From who?" I asked, irked. There was only one who could find me so quickly. Okay, so more than, but still.

"Your sister," he said, obviously uneasy about speaking about my family.

I sighed and turned to say goodbye to Pharen and the others. "We've got to go, sorry. It was nice meeting you." I clasped forearms with my master one more time, bowed respectively to all of the four _Mando's_ with an apologetic look. Ondu deliberated for a moment as I began to head back with Isna and Honru, the other two somewhat confused on why he wasn't moving. "You can stay if you want," I said, perfectly understanding. Ondu shook his head and walked toward us. I knew to some extent what Ondu was feeling. We all boarded _Hopes Last Chance_ in low spirits.


End file.
